CENTER FOR COMMUNITY. On Sept. 14, Fall Creek Public Library staff will unveil its new building (551 W. Lincoln Ave., Fall Creek) via a soft opening. There, locals will have a first look at the new facility – three times the size of its former location – and opportunities to volunteer in its transition efforts. (Fall Creek Public Library construction, pictured. Photo via Facebook)

First announced back in 2024, two years of fundraising and community outreach will come to fruition at the Fall Creek Public Library’s new building (551 W. Lincoln Ave., Fall Creek) – which locals will soon be able to enjoy at a soft opening event on Sept. 14. 

Following a groundbreaking ceremony last summer, the $8 million library project – supported by $3 million in local contributions and a state Flexible Facilities Program grant exceeding $4 million – is nearing the finish line 

Today, there is approximately $600,000 left to fundraise, to meet the original goal of the library’s capital campaign. The new facility will be three times the size of the previous space, Rachel Kinsella, the library’s newest director, said.

“Libraries are changing, they are adapting and they are meeting the needs of their communities – it’s so much more than just books and movies,” Kinsella said. “This is a space for people to learn, create, gather, explore, connect with others in our community. That’s what we are hoping to do.”

Current staff and a collective of more than 30 volunteers hope to achieve these goals through several key features and new amenities at the library, including public meeting rooms, creative and artistic spaces, family areas for children, an outdoor community garden and more. 

The Fall Creek Public Library will now sport three free-to-use meeting rooms – one large room seating 16 and two smaller rooms seating eight. These rooms will be designed for private one on one sessions, small group gatherings, local employer trainings and  even tele-health appointments.

The new Fall Creek Public Library entrance (left); an expanded teen lounge for activities and programming (right). (Photos via Facebook)

A dedicated maker space will also be available for arts, creative workshops and programming for families. Local groups, including a quilting club in Fall Creek, already intend to use this new space for their monthly meeting place, Kinsella said.

Unlike the former Lincoln Street location, this new facility – on three acres of land – offers enhanced technical design, including full indoor ADA accessibility features and interior restrooms. Expanded technology offerings include its six adult computers, two teen computers, along with one children’s computer and iPad.

“We (will) have a ‘Library of Things,’ which we currently don’t have,” Kinsella said. “I was able to get a grant from (American Library Association) for a lot of those items we were able to purchase for the Library of Things.”

“And, like I said before, there is plenty of room for our library to grow with our community,” she added.

Open Positions at the Fall Creek Public Library 

The Fall Creek Public Library has approved the hiring of two new part-time positions, as they transition to a new, larger building.

Community Engagement Library Assistant: For a local who enjoys planning programs, connecting with the community, creating content and helping patrons.

Student Library Assistant: An opportunity for a high school or college student who is friendly, dependable and enjoys working with people.

Visit fallcreekpubliclibrary.org to learn more about each position and how to apply.

The library already hosts community-led events – from canning classes to story time sessions for kiddos – and those will only continue to grow at its new facility.

Kinsella envisions the recurring volunteers will be an asset to expand into new teen programming for Fall Creek families, story time sessions on the weekends, eSports campaigns and more.

In addition to its strong local support, the library's online reach has remarkably exceeded Kinsella's expectations during construction of the new facility. Despite the village of Fall Creek’s population of just over 1,000, its Facebook page has drawn more than 40,000 visitors since January.

“That is a 23% increase from last year,” Kinsella added. “I was (also) getting a lot of comments about (locals who) would be willing to help ‘move the library.’ ”

When Kinsella refers to “moving the library,” she means the community effort to transport all the books and supplies from the old site to the new Fall Creek Public Library. The community response has been overwhelming, she said, with a SignUpGenius form for packing already filled over half of the encouraged volunteer slots.

“Libraries are changing, they are adapting and they are meeting the needs of their communities – it’s so much more than just books and movies.”

rachel kinsella

director, fall creek public library

“It’s just such a cool way to see our community come together in a lot of different areas and grow together,” Kinsella said.

Other local supporters of the new library include the L.E. Phillips Family Foundation, Royal Credit Union, Mayo Clinic, the Pablo Foundation, the library board president, among others.

Following its soft opening in mid-September, the Fall Creek Public Library will host a grand opening celebration in October. The event, Kinsella said, will welcome area vendors, supporting organizations and programming coordinators to gather at and explore the new location, along with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Visit the Fall Creek Public Library, beginning Sept. 14, in Fall Creek at 551 W. Lincoln Ave. Ongoing updates and grand opening announcements will be published on the library’s website and social media platforms (@fallcreekpubliclibrary).